# XXI: “For Every Jewel a Drop of Blood!” explained — Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle

> Chapter companion for Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

## What happens

Ibn Jad and his party flee northward with Princess Guinalda and the treasure, but are pursued by Tarzan, who uses psychological warfare to terrorize the Arabs. Fahd attempts to poison Ibn Jad but is thwarted by Ateja, then later steals Guinalda. Tarzan, believing the Arabs think him dead, begins a campaign of terror, killing a treasure-bearer with an arrow and later throwing the man's severed head into camp, all while intoning 'For every jewel a drop of blood!' He interrogates Ateja, learning that Fahd has taken Guinalda.

## Themes in this chapter

### Greed and Treasure

Ibn Jad's avarice drives the party to exhaustion, and the treasure bags are guarded obsessively; Fahd's schemes are motivated by wealth and desire for Guinalda.

### Survival and Resilience

Tarzan's relentless pursuit and the Arabs' desperate flight highlight survival under extreme physical and psychological strain.

### Justice and Vengeance

Tarzan exacts a grim, personal justice through terror and lethal attacks, declaring 'For every jewel a drop of blood!' as a vendetta against the raiders.

## Character check-ins

### Fahd Ibn Jad

Attempts to poison Ibn Jad, is discovered by Ateja, and later steals Guinalda from the camp.

### Ateja Ibn Jad

Thwarts Fahd's poisoning attempt and later reveals to Tarzan that Fahd took Guinalda.

### Tarzan

Pursues the Arabs, kills a treasure-bearer with an arrow, terrorizes the camp with a severed head and a ghostly voice, and interrogates Ateja.

### Princess Guinalda

Captive of Ibn Jad, later stolen by Fahd; her rescue is Tarzan's priority.

### Nasrany Stimbol

Weak and feverish, he follows Fahd closely, hoping to use his promised wealth to secure Fahd's help.

### Sheykh Ibn Jad

Leads the treasure-laden party, is terrified by Tarzan's supernatural attacks, and narrowly avoids Fahd's poison.

## Key lines

> For every jewel a drop of blood!

Each piece of stolen treasure will be paid for with a life.

_Tarzan's chilling proclamation, used to terrorize the superstitious Arabs._

> Avarice gave them strength and endurance far beyond that which they normally displayed

Their greed pushed them to march harder than they otherwise could.

_Describes the driving force behind the Beduin party's forced march._

> He was confident that the Arab thought him dead and it did not suit his whim to reveal their error to them at this time

Tarzan knew the Arabs believed he was dead, and he chose to let them keep that belief for now.

_Explains Tarzan's strategic use of psychological warfare._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tarzan_lord_of_the_jungle_se/chapters/xxi-for-every-jewel-a-drop-of-blood
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tarzan_lord_of_the_jungle_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tarzan_lord_of_the_jungle_se/chapters